For Japan's economy, worst of South Korea boycott may have passed
While a South Korean consumer boycott of Japanese products continues in the wake of a prolonged dispute over wartime history and trade, economists say Japan has already seen the worst of its economic repercussions. Concerns had grown among businesses as moves to shun Japanese brands ...
Apps and gadgets that measure up
From clothing sizes to heart-rate monitoring, technology is changing the way we measure ourselves.
Uniqlo ad sparks protest and parody as South Korea-Japan dispute flares
A commercial by clothing brand Uniqlo has stirred a consumer backlash in South Korea amid accusations that it mocks victims of wartime labor and "comfort women," reopening deep wounds from Japan's colonial past. A YouTube video created by a South Korean student parodying the ad ...
Fast Retailing logs record profits on strong Uniqlo sales overseas
Fast Retailing Co. has reported record profits and sales for the fiscal year through August, propelled by strong sales at its Uniqlo Co. casual clothing brand in Asia and Oceania. The operator of the Uniqlo chain expects another the current business year to set another ...
Confusion reigns over scope of the forthcoming tax hike
When the government raised the consumption tax from 5 percent to 8 percent in April 2014, Japan suffered a recession. One possible indicator if such a downturn will happen prior to next month's long-delayed hike to 10 percent is how much people are spending ...
Fast Retailing Co., the operator of the Uniqlo casual apparel chain, says it will produce clothes made from used plastic bottles in cooperation with Toray Industries Inc. The fashion retailer will put the items on sale in next year's spring-summer season, mainly targeting eco-conscious consumers, ...
Uniqlo operator partners with U.N. agency in bid to improve working conditions in Asia
Fast Retailing Co. said Wednesday it is partnering with the U.N.'s International Labour Organization to improve conditions for workers in Asia, in its latest push to ensure labor protection in countries where social security systems are underdeveloped. The operator of Uniqlo casual clothing stores will ...
Billionaire Uniqlo founder Tadashi Yanai wants a woman to succeed him
Tadashi Yanai, Fast Retailing Co.’s 70-year-old billionaire founder, said he would prefer to be succeeded by a woman, adding it would be better for Asia’s largest retailer. "The job is more suitable for a woman," Yanai, the chief executive officer behind clothing giant Uniqlo, said ...
Cloudiest Tokyo summer in 129 years leaves Japan's retailers hurting
The unusually long and cool rainy season has dampened demand for apparel, furniture and other goods, with some retailers reporting steep drops in sales of merchandise.
Uniqlo operator apologizes for saying South Korea boycott won't last long
Japan's largest clothing maker Fast Retailing Co. issued an apology on its Korean website for remarks that angered Korean customers amid the trade spat between Japan and South Korea. At its earnings news conference on July 11, the Uniqlo owner's chief financial officer Takeshi Okazaki ...
Fast Retailing Co. said Thursday its group net profit in the nine months to May rose 7.0 percent from a year earlier to ¥158.67 billion, its highest for the period, supported by growing overseas sales of its Uniqlo-brand casual clothing. The company said its group ...
Boycott Japan: South Koreans take to social media in reaction to trade spat
#BoycottJapan is trending in South Korea. Angered by Japan's move to restrict exports of vital manufacturing materials to the country, South Koreans have taken to Instagram and other social media platforms to show their support for boycotts of Japanese travel and consumer products. More than 2,400 ...
